Former Nantwich batsman Liam Livingstone has “the ideal qualities and character to be successful in the Test arena”, according to national selector James Whittaker.

The 24-year-old Lancashire captain has been named in the England Test squad for the first time for their tour of New Zealand in March.

Livingstone has played two Twenty20 internationals for England, and has impressed on the recent Lions tour of Australia.

Whittaker said: “Liam has been a player that we have been impressed with for quite some time, having performed well in the county system with Lancashire and over the past couple of years with the England Lions.

“He is a very talented and tough cricketer who has the ideal qualities and character to be successful in the Test arena.

“During the recent Lions tour of Australia, he was a standout performer and showed a lot of maturity in his attitude and put in some strong performances.

Liam Livingstone celebrates taking a wicket during his time playing for Nantwich.

“We are particularly impressed with the way he bats against spin and is equally adept against the seamers.

“Liam is also highly regarded at his county Lancashire and will captain the side in the Specsavers County Championship during the 2018 campaign.”

Livingstone made the national headlines for Nantwich when he scored 350 against Caldy in the National Club Championship in the summer of 2015.

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Ben Stokes is included, though his involvement remains subject to any relevant legal or disciplinary developments in relation to the incident in Bristol in September.

Should the ECB Board receive formal confirmation that Stokes has either been charged or that he will face no charges, they would convene within 48 hours to make a decision on his availability for the team at that stage.

Yorkshire batsman Gary Ballance, Notts seamer Jake Ball and Surrey’s Tom Curran – all part of the recent Ashes squad – have all been omitted.